


Santa Baby

by tmrs



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas Fluff, Footy Secret Santa, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 08:39:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2844842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmrs/pseuds/tmrs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>about that one time Christmas Eve doesn't goes like Benni planned and he accidentally kinda end up on a date with Santa, you know, casually.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Santa Baby

**Author's Note:**

  * For [misterywhitegirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/misterywhitegirl/gifts).



> yay Bianca, Merry Christmas!  
> Writing this fanfic was an adventure and I hope I did a good work and can make your day a little bit brighter :) x
> 
>  
> 
> I'd like to thank caravanslost for being my beta and everybody involved on the Secret Santa thing, I really loved to be part of this and can't wait to the next one already :D

Even though dinner was already over, the delicious smell of holiday season savoury food still lingered on the air, sneaking out the kitchen to fill the main floor of Jonas Hummels’ house. Mats and Benni were gently invited during an, well, sort of embarrassing tiny emergency.

“What did you just say?”

Mats had the phone pressed against his left ear, and it was held in place by his shoulder as he cleaned the ornate table. Benni helped him, taking the dishes out of his hands so that he could hold the phone properly. He raised his eyebrows in a silent question. Mats covered the speaker to whisper the answers, so that nobody but him could hear it. “She’s in jail.”

“What?!” Benni hissed. Mats switched the phone to his right ear so both could hear Jonas at the same time.

“… in the middle of Seabrook Rd after getting the damn papers at the school and hearing the director’s shit and got a call form an unknown number. When I pick up it’s Hannah telling me she’s at the police station at the other side of the bloody city because she got in a fight at Tesco superstore queue while buying God-knows-what. We have a freaking huge tree full of gifts and a whole bunch of food, I don’t know what more this woman needs.”

Mats was about to agree when Benni poked his side, frowning and squeezing his lips into a thin line - (this was the don’t-talk-like-that-about-your-sister-in-law, at-least-not-in-her-own-house-after-eating-her-Christmas-dinner kind of look), before leaving for the kitchen again.

“Don’t worry. We’ve got everything under control here.” Poking his head out of the dining room, Mats could see his niece and nephew eating cookies in front of the TV. Call me when you have any other news.”

The children were in the middle of a discussion.

“Stooooop it, ‘Melia! You’re lying!”

“He’s not real Charlie. I asked grandpa Hermann if Santa used to get him presents and you know what he said? Yes!”

“So, he’s real you plonker!”

“No he’s not. Grandpa Hermann must be, what, 80 years? Uncle Mats,” She flipped her dark hair back and pointed her nose towards the adjacent room. She asked “How old is grandpa Hermann?”

“He’s 67,” Mats answered, his mouth half full of a cookie to which he had treated himself, before taking the used glasses away to the sink.

“Whatever,” she replied. “Still a lot of years anyway. He said Santa was already like how he is now. How could an old man live so many years?

“It could have being a frozen sword fight and his brother won.” Her brother suggested.

“Bollocks!”

“‘Melia, you used a bad word!” Charlie whispered, looking over his shoulder to check if there was an adult nearby, but she didn’t seem to worry.

“And how could he leave presents at everybody’s house at the same time?”

“The dwarfs help him. Duh.”

“How can his carriage fly? Reindeer don’t even have wings!”

Back in the kitchen, Benni heard the young voices rising again and frowned as he took off the apron he had worn to do the dishes. “What’s happening there?”

“The kids are debating about Santa” was all he got by way of an answer as Mats shrugged and finished his second cookie.

“Mats, when Jonas said you should watch the kids, he didn’t mean just literally.”

“It’s fundamental for children’s development that adults let them express their opinions and tastes. We teach them good morals and principles and set them free on their options. What?” Mats asked Benni innocently, who had his eyes squinted. Mats just chuckled and stole a peck from his lips saying “I got it from a book. It’s a good book.”

The sound of further argument came through from the other room.

“Stooooooooop it!”

“You stop it!”

“I think it’s time for you to go back and intervene.” Benni said, giving him a peck back.

Mats went to the living room to find both of the kids with crossed arms and grimaces.

“What’s the problem? Uncle Mats is here to save the day.”

“’Melia,”Charlie sent a hurt look at his sister before turning his big brown eyes to Mats, his little finger twisting the loose string coming from his colorful sweater. “She’s saying that Santa doesn’t exist. She’s lying, isn’t she?”

Mats looked at the young girl, with her black curly hair and the grey-blue eyes she got from her mother which was full of confidence.

“What about magic?” Mats asked as he ruffled the boy’s straight locks. His hair was currently in a bowl cut pretty similar to what Mats used to have at his age. Mats took a seat on the big sofa.

“That’s another lie,” She replied, her eyes flicking away from Mats to meet the other figure who entered the room “Right, uncle Benni? It’s complete nonsense. Right?”

Mats raised his eyebrows at Benni (his there-you-go-uncle-Benni-Mr-know-it-all look), but Benni just smiled in return and sat next to him.

“Okay. Uncle Benni’s going to tell you the truth about it.” He said, and for a moment, three rather similar faces stared at him, holding their breath in anticipation. “He’s real,” Benni continued as Amelia crossed her arms in annoyance and Charlie clapped his hands. “But you were right about something Amelia. There are no flying reindeer, sorry man,” he told Charlie, who pouted. “Santa’s really old and lives far away, so he picks a single place each year to visit. He summons assistants from all around the world to assume his figure. Then they take happiness to as many people as they can in his name while he’s free to walk around, disguised, to spread magic to people who need it in a special way.”

“How you know all this ‘Enni?”

“I think you should tell them, Mats”

“Yes, it’s time for them to know…” Mats rubbed his hands together to build the kids’ expectations. “But first, I want the two of you change into your PJs and brush your teeth, go on.”

“But uncle Benni!” They speak together in one voice.

“You heard Mats. PJs and teeth first.”

The kids obeyed, not without muffled protests, but they left Mats and Benni alone.

“That book really taught you something,” said Benni, watching the fairy lights of the Christmas tree dance across Mats’ face.

“What can I say? I have to practice for our little ones”

Benni stared at him in disbelief. “You’re using baby books to teach our dogs?”

“Some things are useful”, Mats replied, shrugging before answering the next few questions before Benni could ask them. “Like, for example, the fifth chapter about setting rules and being consistent without being too harsh?”

Benni chuckled and put his left hand - now proudly displaying a golden wedding ring - to Mats’ curls, playing with the ends and with a dorky smile on his lips. "Seriously, maybe we should start thinking about it. You’ll be an amazing mom, I mean, dad.”

Mats’ head was playfully pushed back by Benni. Neither noticed the children were back until Charlie crawled on the sofa besides Benni with a questioning look.

“‘Enni,” Charlie asked, “do you have a Katie in your belly too? My aunt ‘Oeh has one in her stomach.”

Mats quickly explained as Amelia gave an annoyed snort. “After she told him her belly was getting bigger because she’s expecting her daughter, he thinks every single pregnant person has a ‘Katie’. In the stomach.”

“Men don’t get pregnant Charlie,” Amelia said, seated on the armchair and hugging her legs as she rolled her eyes. “And don’t even start uncle Mats, I’m pretty sure about this one.”

“Have you ever watched Junior with Arnold Schwarzenegger?”

“Schwas-what?”

“Mats, don’t,” Benni said. “You’ll make her have an existential crisis at 13.”

“I don’t know what this is,” Amelia said cautiously, “but uncle Benni is probably right as always.”

Mats rolled his eyes. Benni messed his hair up before kissing his temple. “Don’t be jealous uncle Mats.”

“Can we start the story now?”

Mats got more comfortable on the sofa and rubbed the hands together again. “Right! It was a dark, freezing night in the 24th of December…”

Charlie pulled at Benni’s sleeve to catch his attention. “Is it a spooky story, ‘Enni?”

“No honey, he’s still stuck on Halloween I guess.” Benni assured him in a whisper before exchanging a look with Mats. “Maybe I should start telling it, you know…” Mats gestured with his hand that Benni should continue, and he put an arm around Charlie’s small figure, feeling him snuggled closer with curious eyes.

Benni started speaking this time, and way more softly.

“So, this story begins on Christmas Eve, not that long ago…”

 

~~~

 

_If there was a real life Grinch on the face of earth, it had to be Teddy Owen. And he comically happened to be Benni’s boss._

_Benedikt Höwedes was an ordinary English boy, born and raised in the city where he still lived. He was as normal as someone could be at the end of his or hers teen years, and like everybody else he looked forward to staying at home, close to the fireplace, with a large cup of some warm drink in his hands, wearing fluffy socks, opening gifts from family, and feeling complete after dessert because there was nothing better than his mom’s red velvet cake. The recipe was like a legendary family heirloom and it had been a tradition on Christmas day for generations._

_But Teddy Owen didn’t know about Benedikt’s mom’s red velvet cake. Teddy Owen didn’t understand its traditional importance, and Teddy Owen probably wouldn’t care anyway. While Benni was turning off the last lights in the building and locking the door after finishing a shift that wasn’t even supposed to be his, Teddy Owen’s square arse was probably comfortably warm on a ridiculous tweed sofa. He was probably sipping cranberry tea from fine white china with a pinkie pointing upwards into the air._

_That bugger._

_But Benni was just an assistant. He knew life wasn’t like the Coca-Cola Christmas advertisements, so he accepted his fate and snuggled inside the many layers of clothing he was wearing. He still felt the cold air creeping in through the fabric while walking towards the bus stop._

~~

 

“I know how it is,” Amelia sighed looking wise and experienced for all of her thirteen years. “Mrs. Renee is totally a Teddy Owen. This one time, she didn’t even let me go on my lunch break, so when I got there, all the cookies where gone.”

Mats narrowed his eyes, but his smile didn’t leave his lips. “I heard you stayed in class because you misbehaved and slapped another student, young lady.”

“Well, but he tried to cut off my hair!” Amelia retorted, in her own defense.

“Looks like a love for curls must be genetic or something” Benni said, talking more to himself than to the family.

“What can I say, we’re lucky.” Mats replied with a cocky smile.

“Can we continue?” Charlie asked poking his uncle’s hips.

“Sure, let’s see…”

 

~~

 

_Even though there were people like Teddy on the planet, there were also people like Benni. People who always had change in their pocket to give it away, who always did the best they could to recycle their garbage, who aren’t embarrassed to reply “I love you too” to their mothers when they called, who offered a seat to people on the train, and who actually thanked cashiers._

_That was the main reason why, when Benni was about to follow the stone path that led to his aunt Marie’s, he spun on the heels when heard his name being called and suspended in half by a cough. He found the crooked figure his aunt’s neighbor, holding a dozen paper bags._

_“Hi Mr. K, do you need help?” Benni asked, although he didn’t wait for an answer to take the things off his arms._

_“Oh thank you.” The old man patted Benni’s shoulder. “You’re such a good young lad, I’m giving you something this Christmas”_

_“There’s no need for that, Mr. K.” Benni said when they reached the small porch of the old man’s house. They went inside and Mr K. helped Benni put the bags in the counter. He smiled saying. “Could you do me another favor?”_

_“Of course.”_

_“I have a reunion with some friends tonight. Could you take care of my dog?”_

_Despite what Benni initially thought after leaving the house with a huge silver brindle Akita puppy (not even a year old), everything went smoothly and the dog didn’t require a lot of his attention after being given his gingerbread man stuffed toy to shake and chew. Benni’s aunt didn’t mind as long the dog stayed away from the roasted turkey, he also would help entertain his bored cousins for most of the night._  
 _The dinner was almost over when his aunt Helen arrived and left the door open. Benni didn’t have the time to do anything more than just drop the silverware after Mr. K’s dog leapt through the opening and ran away._

_“Go after him!” His grandma said._

_Benni grabbed a random coat, took the dog leash and slid his feet inside his boots all at the same time before stumbling outside. He tried to see a grey spot in the middle of the light snow that had started falling and eventually found a blurry one turning the corner of the street._

_He ran, ignoring the feeling of his hands getting colder and colder, ignoring that his worn-out sweatpants were probably not the best choice to walk around with in public and that it was already the last couple of hours of the night. He ran blindly against the icy wind because he absolutely would never forgive himself for losing Mr. K.’s fluffy puppy on Christmas Eve of all nights, for God’s sake. When Benni’s lungs couldn’t take it anymore, he took a break to bend over with his hands on the knees, breathing in deeply multiple times. He found that his feet had taken him to the Westonbirt Arboretum, near the Enchanted Christmas event, where there wasn’t a single tree that wasn’t decorated with bright lamps in the whole extension of the park, logs and leafs being painted with multi colors by light._

_Turning left after a section of purple pines, the sounds of small bells was overtaken by barking noises that made Benni snap back to reality and jog towards the sound before it could went away again. The puppy leapt around his own tail twice, shaking it playfully next to a tall figure dressed in red and white, jumping as if inviting the figure to chase him._

_The fluffy and obviously fake belly was held in by a large black belt, and the person under it had put his wig on backwards because the Santa hat didn’t really help in hiding the huge knots of synthetic fiber, Benni can’t remind black all-stars covered in pen scribbles being part of Santa Claus costume either. The guy must be as young as him, which only made it funnier and more tragic at the same time._

_“I’m sorry, he ran away before I could do anything.” Benni explained with a smile._

_“No problem,” The young Santa replied looking back to the puppy. “We were just having fun, right Dasher?”_

 

~~

 

“Wait,” Amelia put her hands up. “Who’s Dasher?”

“That's what I asked in that moment.” Benni said, remembering.

“The dog was called Dasher. It was on his collar.” Mats clarified as Charlie clapped his hands together repeatedly while letting out peal of the delightful baby laughs that he still had.

“Dasher was a reindeer!” He explained in reply to the adults’ questioning looks.

“Do you think so?” Benni smiled, ruffling his hair with raised eyebrows.

“It was, ‘Enni!” Charlie pulled at the new Christmas pajamas he was wearing and pointed at one of the reindeer printed on it. “This one here”

“Look, I never thought I was ever going to say this,” Amelia said, pulling the sleeves of her onesie to cover her hands while frowning in concentration, “but Charlie may be right. Dasher is the name of one of the reindeer.”

“The others had names?” Mats scratched his hair briefly. “I thought it was only Rudolph.”

“Of course not, uncle Mats!” She said offended, and ignoring the fact that half an hour ago the idea of Christmas was all a lie. That made Mats smile. She was at that age of being stuck between letting go of kids’ stuff, but still wanting to believe it all so bad. “There are nine of them. Do you remember the name of Mr. K?”

“Hmmmmm. No. I don’t.”

“Oh. My God!” Her eyes grew wider. “It could be K from Klaus! Some sort of abbreviation or something! That’s creepy.”

“Maybe that’s why Dasher followed the bell?” Charlie shrugged, nuzzling closer to Benni again. “What happen then, ‘Enni?”

 

~~

 

_Benni put the leash on the collar while the dog pushed at the palm of his hand with his muzzle, until his fingers caressed the grey fur on top of the dog’s head. The guy dressed as Santa was staring at him, which was embarrassing for a lot of reasons, including the fact that he probably looked horrible. However, there was something too funny about the messy white beard through which Santa was running a gloved hand, with a concentrated grimace. That combined with the warm of his dark eyes, made Benni stay a little longer._

_“What’s your name?” Santa asked after some time._

_“It’s Benedikt.”_

_“Benedikt,” Santa repeated as if testing the sound of it in his own voice. “Have you behaved this year?”_

_“Do I look naughty to you?” Benni said and instantly regretted his words, feeling his cheeks getting hotter despite the cold. “I-I mean, I’m not really menacing anyhow, running after an old man’s dog wearing untied boots and my fat aunt’s pink coat, am I?”_

_The young Santa responded with a genuine laugh, crooking his head towards the shoulder for a moment. He suited Benni again before grabbing a clipboard from inside the red bag he was carrying, and scribbling something on the paper._

_“I’m sorry, but you’re not on the nice list this year Benni.” Santa sighed using his long fingers to fold the paper twice. “But don’t worry. I might have something special for you”_

_The lights around them changed from green and lilac to blue and yellow, the puppy barked again for no apparent reason, and some kids come near to them for a photo with the tall, crooked and young Santa Claus._

_Before turning around to talk to the children, Santa quickly slid a paper into Benni’s pocket with a wink and nothing more._

 

~~

 

“What was on the paper?” Amelia asked curious.

“Was it a secret map to gifts?” Charlie wondered, dreamy eyes meeting Benni’s.

“No, it was a phone number with no name on it, nothing but ‘Santa baby’”

“He called himself baby?” Amelia frowned and snorted. “What a cocky person”

“Don’t be rude. Maybe wasn’t being cocky. Maybe he was pretty handsome and also really funny with a bright personality.” Mats pointed out, making her giggle.

“Yeah, right…”

“Wait and see.” He changed his position on the sofa to get more comfortable and looked anxiously to Benni like his niece and nephew, like he had never heard the story before. “Continue the story, love”

 

~~

 

_Once Benni tied the leash at the dogs’ space of the café, he put his hands in the pocket of the ridiculous quilted jacket he was wearing. Benni noticed his aunt’s wallet still there, and hoped she wouldn’t get too upset if he spent a bit of money. The snow was falling more constantly and the house suddenly felt too far away. He really needed to drink something warm before freezing completely. The only thing the he still had that belonged to him was his cardigan and the cell phone in the pocket._

_The place had big windows from the roof to the floor, with leafs printed on the glass. He ordered his drink but all the bloody seats were taken (most of them, he found out quickly, by elderly people wearing horrendous sweaters that had their names embroidered at the back, like football jerseys do). He kept moving slowly through the tables while Rockin’ Robin played softly in the background, hoping to find at least one old lady asleep at one of the tables in the back with a spare seat. However, Benni found an empty seat in the back corner by the window, where a guy about his age wearing a ridiculous comfy parka was adjusting his beanie, becoming suddenly distracted with something in his backpack._

_“Excuse me,” Benni asked. The guy raised his eyebrows and smiled politely. “You’re the only one aged below eighty five in this entire place. Do you mind if I sit here?”_  
 _The only answer Benni got was a quiet nod, but that was enough. He placed the tray at the table and took the seat in front of the other guy, pulling his cell phone out to find ten unread messages from his mother, asking about him and wanting him to send a quick reply to keep her updated. When he was about to return the phone back to his pocket his fingers grazed the paper from earlier and he smiled to himself._

_He thought back to young Santa trying not let himself be cared away on the idea of wanting to see who was underneath the costume and then to the fact that he had used his aunt’s money without even asking. He decided to text him a simple, spontaneous message that said “maybe you were right in putting my name at the naughty list after all”. He hit send._

_Benni took a sip from the macchiato, looking around at the people in the cafe, doing his best to ignoring the guy in front of him. The guy eventually reached for something in his pocket and Benni figured he was probably going to call someone and Benni wasn’t sure how much privacy he could give without getting up._  
 _Benni’s mobile vibrated in his hand while he distractedly hummed The Beach Boys song that played over the doorbell that jingled as people entered the cafe to escape the snow. He could barely hear the music over the roaring sound of the espressos machines._  
 _It was an answer from Santa Baby._

_“im never wrong ;)” it read._

_He smiled and typed a reply quickly “they say it takes one to know one.”_

_He got another text incredibly quickly. “they’re probably right. i was wondering, do you fancy meeting me somewhere soon? perhaps in a coffeehouse or something?”_  
 _Before he could type a reply, another message arrived._

_“let me see. you’ll get a macchiato and sit close to the window, away from the people talking so you can try to listen to the music. you’re probably the only one who actually pays attention to it. you’ll use the end of your spoon to recreate the shapes printed on the table cloth and oh, you like extra sugar but only half of the bag”_

_Benni looked over his shoulder discretely. Then, in response, he simply type a “how”_

_The guy in front of him suddenly speaks, “I told you, I’m never wrong.”_

_Benni’s cast a wary eye to the boy before catch a glimpse of his black all-stars, then to the phone in his hand, and finally to a piece of red cloth falling out his backpack._  
 _“You’re Santa Baby!” He said a little too loudly, making some people near them turn around._

_The guy in front of him had rich brown eyes and a Greek nose and laughed out loud making Benni blushes and in his seat. His smile was gracious and incredibly friendly, it made the strong lines of his sturdy jaw unfairly attractive. Benni thought that couldn’t be described in any other way than ‘heavenly sculpted’. Which was a ridiculous thing to say, and Benni knew it, but damn, it was the holy truth anyway._

_The boys extended a hand towards him._

_“Hi Benni, I’m M-”_

 

~~

 

“OH! I GET IT!” Amelia jumped on the sofa while laughing.

“IT WAS UNCLE MATSI!” Charlie said, clapping his hands again and becoming too excited at getting it right. He earned a gentle squeeze on the tip of his nose from his uncle.

“Now the cocky part makes sense.” Amelia said, giggling.

“Hey!” Mats frowned slightly, throwing a cushion at her, making her squeal and protect her head. “You better behave, young lady. That’s not how you should talk about your favorite uncle.”

She giggled hugging the cushion that her uncle had thrown at her and shaking her head in disbelief.

Mats winked at her. “Can I continue now?”

“Sure!” Benni smiled, encouraging him.

 

~~

 

_That was the first year with Mats as Santa Claus and to be honest, it was probably the last. The arrangement had happened when his best friend called him out of the blue with a huge fairytale about how he got stuck at a reunion at his grandfather’s reunion and how he couldn’t go to the community party. Mats wasn’t thinking about all the people who would have a “Santa-less” Christmas if nobody replaced his friend to be honest, but he just couldn’t say no to the guy since he was the reason why Mats hadn’t failed what he considered the most boring class of his life. Mats doesn’t feel bad in admitting that to Benni because damn, he didn’t care about actual pre historic remains of human evolution but about the history itself and nobody would ever prove him a piece of bone or a broken arrow it’s something truly meaningful before a story comes to gives life to it._

_And Benni loved how Mats was passionate about his convictions and theories about whoever is Le Goff, the way his right cheek formed an adorable curve with almost every word he said, or how a dimple appeared on the other side to match it whenever he tried to speak and smile at the same time, or how the tip of his tongue whip the cream of his drink from the lips and… Well. Any good excuse for staying was long gone, with the macchiato, when it passed ten thirty._

_“I’ve got to go,” Benni mumbled to his empty cup. The silence lingered for a moment._

_“But Benni… It’s cold outside”_

_“Are you…” Benni squinted suspiciously, recognizing the line though Mats hasn’t actually sung it. “Are you using music lyrics on me?”_

_Mats shrugged and rested his elbows on the table. “Beautiful what’s your hurry?”_

_Benni couldn’t help but chuckle feeling excited like a child with this little game, that it was a great song that matched perfectly the season and he would never guess Mats knew it by heart. “I oughta say no, no, no sir”_

_“Mind if I move in closer?”_

_Benni leaned forward and laughed, unable to sing his verse and Mats loves the crinkles next to his deep-set eyes when he does, the way he covers the face behind both hands when gets embarrassed a minute after. Before they could go back to their conversation a whistle caught everybody’s attention. The noise had come from a small woman standing on a chair._

_“So, we’ve just been informed that the huge blizzard that apparently wouldn’t really cause more than a light storm to this side of England’s actually about to reach us with some strength. Our advice is that everybody takes extra care on the road back to your houses and families to avoid accidents. The adorable Mr. Lewis’s - where are you? Raise your hand, Mr Lewis” (and the hand of a man wearing a snowman sweater appeared in the crowd) “There you go, he’s got a tour bus with some empty spaces heading to Pretsbury. If somebody needs a ride home, he’s more than happy to help you out. Don’t be shy please. Thank you all and Merry Christmas from the Westonbirt Arboretum family!”_

_“So,” Benni shivered. A blow of cold wind enters from the door as the first couple of people began leave. “They’re kicking us out?”_

_“Looks like it,” Mats replied staring at some elderlies doing choreography to Jingle Bell. “But I’m telling you, there’s no way I’m going home on a bus with old Regina George and these cuckoo people.”_

_“I don’t want to seem forward but my aunt’s house its close by. My grandma would never forgive me if I didn’t ask if you had somewhere to go during a blizzard on Christmas Eve.”_

_They exchange a look as Benni occupied the hands with a napkin paper._

_“Okay,” Mats smiles getting up and ready to go. “But I’m letting you know now that I’m willing to accept exclusively because of your adorable grandma”_  
 _Two minutes later, Mats, Benni and a fully awake Dasher where out on snow that was way more severe than when Benni arrived at the café. It formed a thick layer on the floor and caused Benni’s feet to sink and squeak in his boots. Benni mentions he didn’t remember the way being quite this long but the fault probably belonged he storm that had covered everything with a white blanket._

_Both of them were already pretty wet and painfully cold, but there was something fascinating about having the street only for the two of them. There was magic in seeing the houses shinning at distance, and when they reached the avenue, every single one of the trees bordering the road had been wrapped in fairy lights._  
 _The snowflakes were already big as a coin and as soft as cotton, spiraling in the air making Benni smile like a kid despite how cold he looked every time Mats checked with the corner of his eyes. They had been walking so close their elbows brushed with every step and when Mats starts to worry about the boy’s grimace he slips a hand into Benni’s coat pocket to lace their fingers together._

_Mats was enjoying seeing his breath hanging in the air, and the chill that made his nose tingle every once in a while. He kept blowing the air out his lungs just for fun until he slipped on a frozen puddle, causing them both to fall on the fluffy snow. The laughers warmed their chests and the hectic puppy settled to lick their faces._

_“Stop it, Dasher!” Benni said, hiding his face in the crook of Mats’ neck to get away from the dog._

_They both had flushed cheeks again when they finally managed to get up. Mats get a little bit lost because Benni still smells like caramel and he can’t help wonder if he taste like that too._

_The problem with falling on deep fluffy snow was that when they started walking against the wind again, Benni started shaking and Mats would say that if he hadn’t been there, and I the dog hadn’t pulled him forwards, he would have probably stayed there until summer came and they defrosted his body._  
 _It became clear that they wouldn’t make it to the house. The sound of the storm was too loud, but a bark from the dog alerted Benni who puts his hand in the coat_ _pocket and found his a set of keys._

_Without much explanation he pulled Mats across the street to one of the decorated buildings with a black door and a golden handle. Benni needed to try a couple of times before he managed to open it, and he had to push it with all his strength for the snow to let the door move. Once they got inside Benni turned the lights on and he closed the door, shaking the snow off his parka._

_The place didn’t have a heater, but it was small and cozy enough, with comfy seats by the big windows, large empty showcases, and bright ceiling lamps._

_“Th- This isn’t what we planned. B- but it will have_ to do…”

_“Its fine,” Mats said taking a look around at the photos on the wall, pulling the beanie out of his head. “Is this your family in the pictures?”_

_“Yes. This bakery was my g-great-great-grandfather’s business and it’s still r- running. It’s my aunts now”_

_“It’s cool… This one’s you?” Mats chuckled, a fingertip pressed against the image of a blond little boy wearing jeans and an enviable cream moustache._

_After a few moments Mats noticed that Benni wasn’t answering. With a bark from Dasher, he finally sees that Benni could have turned into an ice statue. Mats take off his coat and hurried to help him do the same._

_“I ha-hate that picture”_

_“God, Benni! You’re shaking more than a bloody Tickle Me Elmo!” Mats were unsure about what to do for a minute. “Is there anything you’re wearing that’s not soaked?”_

_“I d-d-don’t know”_

_“I’m sorry.”_

_They worked out that the long sleeved shirt Benni was wearing underneath wasn’t completely wet. Mats didn’t know what to do about the guy’s pants though._

_“Ok, now I’m the one who doesn’t want to sound too forward. But, um, yeah, I think you should take these off.” he said pointing to Benni’s trousers, which were heavy and wet from the snow. Benni stared Mats for a whole minute._

_“Fuck it,” he said suddenly. Benni kicked the boots before pulling them off. Stepping on the wooden floor looked like a better option than his soaked socks anyway. “Ok, don’t worry I’m abs - ”, he began, but then he sniffed and Mats pulled him to one of the seats._

_“Shit, shit, I’m sorry.” Mats took his hands into his own and rubbed then between his palms to create heat. “Dasher, help me here.”_

_The dog obeyed and went to lie on Benni’s lap._

_“I’m fine,” Benni said quietly. “Why are you apologizing?”_

_“You look like a zombie mate!” Mats said, as he tried to rub one hand at time. “Let’s be totally honest for a minute, okay? Look, I gave you my number wearing a ridiculous Santa costume, you’re adorably cute, and you texted me not even an hour afterwards. And then you genuinely and kind heartedly and were willing to take me to your aunt’s house when I could have just take the bus. You walked with me during a fucking blizzard, dude. You risked things and take chances with me, on Christmas Eve. You’re like, totally cool. You can’t die.”_

_“Honestly? I opted for getting stuck here instead of walking another block because it was the easy way out of the snow. Being alone with you here didn’t even cross my mind. At least not until you took your beanie off. Now I can’t really tell whether it was my plan all along.” Benni sniffed again, pulled a funny face and laughed. “Well, I guess that’s a nice, accidental first date, Santa Baby”_

_Mats smiled, cupped his hands and blew hot air into them to warm it. He pressed Benni’s palm against his own face and slightly nuzzled against them for a moment. Pulling the sleeves of his shirt down to cover his hands, Mats proceeded to rub them against Benni’s blond hair to dry it as much he could. When he was finished Benni had spiky locks of hair pointing upwards and the blushed cheeks were finally back. It was the first time he had had the chance to study Benni’s face properly without snowflakes getting in the way._

_Mats were not the type of guy that had a thing for freckles. But the tiny specks dotting the bridge of Benni’s nose made him understand why people went mad about them. If Benni’s freckles were constellations, there would be no dark nights, and Mats would stargaze even during daytime._

 

~~

 

“And then you kissed!” Charlie said making a smacking sound against the palm of his hand.

“Not really,” Benni chuckled tickling him.

“No way!” Amelia looked offended again. “Uncle Mats, why? I mean… Don’t you dare finishing the story there.”

“You two should be asleep already,” he checked the watch before his eyes met Amelia’s not amused face again. “Ok, there’s some more to it.”  
Amelia breathed, relieved, and Mats continued.

 

~~

 

_Not much later, Mats randomly picked a CD to put in the stereo to drown out the sound of the wind outside, as the blizzard reached its peak. (Benni recognized the CD as the Love Actually soundtrack when the very first track started playing). Mats then came back to the kitchen where Benni had everything under control._

_After all, Benni thought to himself, if you’re stuck for hours in a bakery and still haven’t got your dessert on Christmas Eve, it’s only fair you prepare one yourself._  
 _Mats checked the clock and saw that it was almost midnight, so he put the fake white beard on and insisted that Benni should wear the Santa hat at least._

_Mats were also a disaster in the kitchen and looked ridiculous trying to break three eggs with one hand. But Benni was the most patient person and helped him out while he worked on the sugar syrup. Benni told him that the secret for a great meringue was to drop a little bit of lemon juice into the mixture and Mats wanted to laugh and kiss him at the same times because how many boys their age knew the secret for a great meringue, for fucks sake? But Benni really knew what he was doing - later Benni proves his theory holding the bowl upside down right above his head with a cocky little smile of the corner of the lips._

_Mats didn’t have much faith that the liquid stuff inside the bowl would ever turn into some fluffy meringue mixture, but Benni tells him to turn up the speed, and the_ _magic began to happen. Mats were convinced that it was definitely some sort of witchcraft. A few minutes more on full speed was all it took and then the mixture was done. Benni lets Mats licks the beater clean as he cuts the sponged cake base that had been in the oven._  
 _Benni dripped syrup onto the bowl slowly while Mats peeked over his shoulder. (Mats notice Benni tried to ignore the fact Mats’ hands were rested on his waist and that that he could feel his gentle breaths against his skin)._

_The dessert took some time to but was baked beautifully as they tried to build a pyramid with some crackers talking about their lives and routines._

_“Open the freezer,” Benni told him when they were done and the pyramid falls making a mess he would worry about later. “There’s ice cream in there.”_  
 _Mats went and then returned with a tub in his hands. “No way, Baileys ice cream? It really is some Christmas.”_

_Mats insisted on crumbling the meringue over the ice cream and Benni agreed, and went off to feed Dasher with a mini-cake that he made especially for him (without Baileys ice cream, of course)._

_Benni comes back to find Mats humming to one of the songs on the CD and he couldn’t know but Benni wondered if the mini heart attacks would stop with time or whether they would happen every time he saw Mats. He thought for a minute he felt sorry for the person who would get to spend the rest of his life with Mats, with the three silly little dots on his right cheek bone or that untamed curly hair or those almond-shaped dark eyes as he kind dances under yellowish mercury lights wearing a shirt he doesn’t notice to be inside out and black boxers only._

_Benni secretly concluded a moment after, that maybe mini heart attacks weren’t a high price to pay._

_“Ta-da!” Mats exclaimed._

_“Done?”_

_“I think so”_

_Benni serves the dessert in two plates handing one plate to Mats, who immediately took a big spoonful of it to find how delicious it turned out. Of course, at the end of it, Benni had ice cream all over his face, like on that damn photo on the wall._

_Mats chuckled at the sight of him, wiping it away with his thumb before bringing their lips together._

_It lasted for just one second, because Benni broke the kiss with laughter that rumbled deep in his chest._

_“What?” Mats got rid of their plates giving Benni a minute more and wrapped the arms loosely around him. “What is it?”_

_“This thing itches,” Benni said, pulling the fake beard off to finally kiss Mats properly for the first time (of many others) that night. His hands reached up to found Mats’_ _curls where he tangled the fingers softly._

 

~~

 

“I ship you two so hard, seriously” Amelia sighed loudly looking way happier than before. “You’re definitely my otp after mom and daddy”

“You what?” Mats frowned and Charlie touched his arm gently, nodding as if telling him to don’t make further questions.

“When are mom and daddy coming back?” Charlie asked rubbing his eyes lazily.

“They’re on their way” Mats said checking the mobile before sliding it back into to his pocket. “I’m pretty sure they’ll make it up to you for being late tonight. And the two of you behaved so well that I think Santa will put more gifts under the tree.”

“Well, I’m giving him one more chance,” Amelia declared. “So he better.”

The four of them climbed the staircase to the second floor, with Mats playfully annoying Amelia by snapping his fingers closer to her ears and Charlie almost asleep in Benni’s arms. Charlie slid under the covers of his bed and mumbled as Benni ruffled his hair.

“I’ve got a question, ‘Enni”

“Tell me.”

“Sometimes grandma takes us to church and they say it’s the birthday of the baby in the crib. So why don’t we sing happy birthday on Christmas?”

“That’s a good question.”

“Can we sing tomorrow?”

“Of course, honey.”

Benni pressed a kiss against Charlie’s forehead, feeling his heart melt at the sweetness of the child, his mind going back to his and Mats’ interrupted talk about adoption from earlier. He had almost left, and the door was almost closed when Charlie called him again.

“‘Enni, when was your birthday?”

“Uhm, I didn’t have one this year.”

“What didn’t you have? A party?” Amelia asked. Outside the corridor, she hugged an extra blanket she had probably picked up from her parents’ room with Mats’ help.

“No, I technically didn’t have a birthday…”

“He only has birthdays every four years,” Mats explained, and blinked before entering Charlie’s room to kiss him goodnight.

“This is not possible!” Amelia widened her eyes, turning them from one uncle to the other “Uncle Benni! What the heck is wrong with the world?”

Amelia didn’t wait for an answer and marched to her bedroom, not bothering to shut the door before falling flat on her fluffy pink bed, making the mattress squeak a little. Benni looked at Mats to see him grinning, arms crossed in front of his chest as if he had accomplished a mission.

“Don’t you ever get tired of misbehaving?”

“What are you talking about?” Mats covered Benni’s lips with his own, in a soft prolonged kiss that smacked when it was over and raised the eyebrows slightly, mumbling without growing much distant. “You know I’m nothing but an awful good boy”

Benni had to laugh at that, wrapping his arms around Mats’s waist to pull him in for a tight hug, closing his eyes as if that would help to keep things quiet. He rested his forehead against Mats’ cheekbone, feeling cosy in the embrace.

“Merry Christmas, love.” Mats said, tugging Benni’s hair and pressed a soft kiss against his skin, watching the snow gracefully fall from outside the window as he rocks their bodies side to side slowly.

**Author's Note:**

> Long story sort:  
> a) thank you for reading  
> b) please leave a comment  
> c) Merry Christmas :D
> 
> d) here's the mixtape that goes with the fic, took me a while but well, I cant put a link propely so: (http://8tracks.com/msonnig/santa-baby)


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